Like Lightning
by Preaching Red
Summary: An electrifying leader has lost his spark following a freak accident, but a passerby trainer reenergizes his passion. Will his passion take this leader to new heights? Or will he be bound to his city by his own love for it forever.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon**

A young trainer by the name of Mark stepped up to the Red City Pokémon gym. He had heard the legends about the gym leader. Supposedly the leader had once been a roaming trainer, but settled because of unknown events. The mysterious trainer reformed the once miniscule Silver Town, now Red City. Skyscrapers were erected and large corporations such as Silph and Devon created large towers where they would base their Kanto operations. The gym was nothing special. Although extremely large and technologically advanced it was not a groundbreaking building.

As he pushed through the doors he found himself in the waiting room for the gym.

The carpet was a deep red, in honor of Red City. The walls surrounding the room were an even darker red, almost a maroon. Displaced at even intervals around the gym, were tinted glass pillars. Inside these pillars crackled lightning. The display was actual lighting, not artificial fakery. How the leader had done this was beyond the young trainer. The lighting streaked with all the visible colors of the spectrum. One pillar was red, another an ominous black. He stared in awe for a moment before walking up to the reception desk. The light from the room glinted off the dark obsidian that covered the top of the desk. Unlike most other gyms there was no human behind the desk waiting to ask if he had an appointment. Instead there was a sign above a hand imprint on the wall that read:

_Place hand here_

The trainer did as he was told. The section of wall where his hand was folded away, revealing the famed battlefield he had read and heard so much about. He stared in awe at the edges of the overly large field, which just seemed to fall away into an endless pit. Inside the pit, crackled lightning of all the colors he had seen in the waiting room, and then some.

Mark looked at the other side of the field, and saw a tall man clad in seamless black pants with an open black jacket. The jacket flapped lightly in the nonexistent breeze over a form fitting red shirt. On each of the sleeves there was a yellow lightning emblem, another bolt insignia also made its home on the back. The jacket had a collar that ended just below the mysterious man's jaw. His jet-black hair fell neatly on all sides of his head, the back of his hair framed his head perfectly, with a few stray strands jutting lightly out, adding some roughness to his smooth look. The sides completely covered his ears and ended just below his cheekbones. One strand fell neatly in between his eyes, and went down to the bridge of his nose. The hair that would be over his eyes, and obscuring his vision, had been pushed to their respective sides, out of the way.

His name was Red. No one knew anything more about him. All they did know was that he is the pride of Kanto and Red City. With the nation not having a league they were constantly looked down upon, but Red was there every time they needed someone to step up and take the heat. No one took it better.

"My name is Mark, I'm from Pallet town and I challenge your gym!"

The trainer swore he saw the man stand straighter when Mark mentioned his hometown but he quickly shook it off, focusing on the battle.

The leader just gave him a bored, golden gaze

"How many badges you got, kid?"

This jibe infuriated Mark, but he knew he couldn't let it show. After all, Professor Oak had told him that a trainer who also hailed from Pallet once used the philosophy that a battle had begun before the match had started. He had used that philosophy to gain the upper hand with many opponents, and he wasn't about to abandon it.

"7, Sir. I see no reason why you need to ask that question."

The man stepped down onto the field, his features now completely illuminated by the field lights. It was then that Mark realized this trainer couldn't be older than 18.

"Even with your seven badges you will get destroyed. If you want, I will allow you to walk away now."

Mark gasped, walk away?

_'Who does this guy think he is?' _He mentally growled

"No. I will stand my ground and fight. If not for the badge then for the experience."

Mark saw the man's eyes light up and his dark expression brightened accordingly

"Wise words, I used to think like you. For the experience then."

Mark growled at the obvious jab towards his chances of winning and threw out his first choice. The red and white sphere opened in an explosion of white, materializing his Pokémon.

The Pokémon roared as it appeared, its blue eyes full of confidence.

The leader grinned, "An Aggron, good choice, but type won't save you here."

Without another word he threw his pokeball to the heavens. The sphere opened, revealing the leader's Pokémon. The unidentifiable Pokémon landed silently, then it glared down the steel Pokémon

"An Absol?" Mark cried in astonishment as he realized what species his opponent represented, "I thought this was an electric gym!"

The leader shrugged

"I checked with the league. As long as he used only electric moves, or moves that can be involved with electric type moves I was all right. A little odd but who am I to complain?"

Mark couldn't help but roll his eyes, but he still felt confident. Even with Absol's lack of electric typing, based on moves alone Aggron had the advantage.

"Aggron, use Earthquake!"

Aggron responded immediately, roaring as its tail crashed into the ground, sending shock waves across the field.

"Into the air, then Volt Tail."

Absol said nothing, merely running up a rock and leaping into the air with silent precision. Then, the disaster Pokémon began glowing yellow, while its tail shone the color of steel. The yellow aura was then directed into the tail, which was brought down upon Aggron with incredible force.

Mark had to hold onto his hat so the shockwave created from the impacted wouldn't blow it off. The leader just stood, stoically gazing at the field, the shockwave blowing his hair in all directions. Mark refocused his attention to the battlefield, where he saw his Aggron on the ground, clearly unable to continue the fight.

With a slight groan he returned his Pokémon, then he threw out his next choice.

"Golem, I need your help!"

Golem appeared in a flash of silence, much like Absol, but unlike Absol this Pokémon exuded a different kind of aura. Rage.

"Absol, stay on your toes, he doesn't look friendly." Mark heard the leader advise his Pokémon.

Mark agreed with him, Golem wasn't what one would call friendly… or social, or happy, or nice. But regardless of all those condescending traits the rock Pokémon still listened to Mark well, even going with some of his ridiculous strategies.

"Golem, use Earthquake."

Much like Aggron, although with much less theater, the ground rippled, and the leader's Pokémon reacted identical to prior.

"Now shoot it down with Stone Edge!" Mark thought he gained an advantage, but one command from the leader silenced his confidence

"Shock them"

Absol let loose a massive Thunder attack, turning the stones to dust with just the force the lightning arced through the air. The attack harmlessly struck Golem, which Mark took for a mistake, but he was soon proven wrong.

"End this round with Iron Tail"

The Thunder had merely been to lapse their attention, not to mention add a bit of flash (Pun intended) to the performance. And it had worked brilliantly. Golem was propelled away as a result, completely unconscious.

Mark returned Golem with a growl. Then he clenched his fists in a defeated manner. He was about to surrender when the leader's slightly mocking voice assassinated the words in his throat.

"For the experience."

With a dorky grin quickly forming, Mark called out his starter, a Venasaur given to him by Professor Oak on his tenth birthday nearly two years ago. The grass starter appeared with a roar, clearly excited for the battle.

"For your sake I will call the first move" The leader called over to him, "Work around it"

Mark nodded, and began to formulate a plan. The leader could now use electric attacks because of Venasaur's grass typing, but because of the grass typing Venasaur now had much more range than either of his previous choices.

"Rain Dance" The leader ordered quietly.

Almost instantly the gym field was showered with the unpredicted weather change. Mark didn't see the danger in this attack, and continued on with his original plan.

"Venasaur, use razor leaf."

Millions of serrated leaves were shot at the dark Pokémon, who leaped gracefully to the side.

"Grab it with vine whip!"

Venasaur deftly caught the disaster Pokémon with its long vines, holding it in a death grip against the ground,

"Now us—"

The leader interrupted Mark

"Hold on for a moment, I want you to take a look at the field. Tell me what you notice."

Mark was rather angry, but decided to do as the leader said

"Alright, I see water, every thing is soaked thoroughly."

The leader nodded

"Correct, now I want you to consider moves now, along with their type and mediums of _conducting_ their power"

Mark nodded and stared at the field, He noted the rain pouring down, and the water dripping of his starter's reptilian skin. He observed the deadlock Venasaur had on the strangely calm Absol.

_'Shit' _He mentally cursed as he noticed his error

"Release Absol immediately!"

"Thunder"

That one command sent Mark's eighth badge and chance at the indigo league farther out of his reach. Venasaur roared as its nervous system was sent into overdrive. Every little neuron scorched with white-hot pain. Then, it was frozen with black-cold darkness.

Mark recalled his starter with an apology and words of thanks. He looked up and saw the leader making his way over to him.

"You did well, much better than others. I was testing you from the beginning. As I have said in the past, a battle often starts before the match is begun."

Mark gasped

"You kept cool under my taunting" The leader continued, his golden irises sparkling with… something, Mark couldn't be sure what, "You even attempted to think multiple steps ahead. Although you didn't consider all the options it is still very advanced for a young trainer. You should be proud."

Mark nearly died. He was getting compliments courtesy of the Red City superstar.

"You're incredibly tough. Maybe even tougher than Cynthia!" Mark gushed

Mark saw the man flinch

"Cynthia? You know her?"

Mark nodded, "Yeah, we battled while I was in Sinnoh a few months ago. She creamed me with Garchomp. Much like the way you did. Have you ever considered taking the elite four challenge?"

Mark saw the man flinch once again

"Once, but that's in the past." The leader responded cryptically

"Really? You should fight Sinnoh; they have the coolest elite four! Bertha and her Torterra are totally rad!"

The leader flinched yet again, although this time much less notably, "You know the elite four personally?"

Mark nodded, "Yeah, I went to Sinnoh with Professor Oak one time. He and his grandson Gary were heading over to Sinnoh to meet with Professor Rowan. I tagged along because I wanted to know more about the region. The elite four just so happened to be in town with Professor Rowan. Apparently Gary's a big shot trainer, or he used to be. He used to be rivals with a guy called Ash Ketchum, also from Pallet. Anyways, It was here I got to chat with them while Gary and the Professor talked with Professor Rowan. I got to battle Cynthia and even see the elite four battles each other. Flint's Infernape is amazing!"

The leader couldn't help but smirk, "Maybe I'll try it."

"They also seemed to know Ash Ketchum well too. They were talking with Gary about him. It seemed he gave up his journey to be with some girl. His Pokémon and girlfriend were killed or stolen by Team Rocket and he is now supposed to be on Mount Silver."

The leader nodded numbly, the amused smirk fading "They talk about me?"

"Huh? I didn't hear you." Mark asked, feigning that he didn't hear the leader properly

"Oh, sorry. I said: they talk about him?"

"Yeah" Mark continued, "Apparently he was good friends with all of them, and they were really disappointed when he went off the grid. It was around when Flint was telling Gary about the time Ash's and his Infernape duked it out that I stopped eavesdropping. But Cynthia caught me. She wasn't mad thought. She just told me stories about Ash."

The leader nodded, "Good for you, Mark. If you give me your last name I can tell the elite four that it was you who recommended them to me."

Mark nodded, "My last name is Dunn, Mark Dunn"

"My name is Red" the leader, Red, said to Mark, "Don't wear it out."

Mark nodded and left the gym with a wave. Red wasn't cold like some of the populace believed. He was a nice guy deep down.

_Scene Change_

Red stood on the roof of the tallest building in town, his long cloak billowing around him in the harsh wind. At over 2,000 feet the leader could see his entire beloved city. From the slums to the penthouses he adored every square inch of it. After all, he had built Red City from the ground up. Silver Town was no more; the town had become a wasteland following a Team Rocket attack. No one felt that attack worse than Red.

His family was ripped apart here. He still went to the exact spot occasionally, just for kicks.

It was a pub on 39th street. His friend's father owned the pub and he invited him over for dinner, and a chance to meet Red. Because he was trying to install a PC in his apartment, Red had all his Pokémon on hand, except for one. He had left Pikachu with Gary, because the mouse Pokémon didn't like crowds or pokeballs.

Team Rocket had held the place up at gunpoint, shooting anyone who wouldn't get on the floor. His friend's father, Romeo, was one of the people who refused to kneel.

When the first shot was fired the whole pub flinched. Romeo fell, but the older man was clearly still alive, for he was attempting to stand back up. One of the Rockets, the squad leader, leveled his rifle at Romeo, preparing to end the man's life. Red reacted instantly. He sprinted at the Rocket squad leader and slammed him into the wall. The two fought over possession of the rifle, but when it was thrown aside the two engaged in a bare-knuckle boxing match. More commonly known as a fistfight. Although the operative was much taller than Red and much more muscular, Red was resourceful and had also been taught to fight. Punches and kicks were traded, but as soon as Red got in close it was over. Red grabbed the squad leader's collar with his right, then the Rocket's right thigh with his left. He propped the Rocket up on his shoulder for just a second, and then he spun around. Slamming the Rocket's head viciously into the granite countertop of the bar. The impact chipped the granite.

Taking the laps in the Rocket squad's attentions as an opportunity he grabbed the discarded assault rifle and let the contents of the magazine loose to wreak havoc on the Rocket squad. None survived.

The next day everyone complimented Red, the thanked him for saving them, but he shunned them all. Still brooding over the deaths he had caused. He couldn't tell his mother or the Oaks that he had gunned down over 12 people. They would disown him!

His Pokémon were taken in the bombing that followed later that same day. Pikachu was still with Gary and all his Pokémon were still on hand. The bombs rained down and Red did not escape. Shrapnel had been his downfall. As he dragged his half conscious self into an alley he tried to hide his pokeballs, but before he could a Rocket patrol found him. They beat him mercilessly with a crowbar, probably breaking every bone in his body. Not once did he faint. He was awake the whole time, from start to finish.

He saw them take his occupied pokeballs, and he was conscious enough to weep over them. After lying in the alley for what seemed like years he was found by someone, he knew not whom, but they brought him to a doctor who could work with limited materials. The doctor removed the shrapnel, and splinted the broken bones. As it turned out, the Rockets hadn't broken every bone in his body, only most of them.

Red was incapacitated for a long time. The survivors of the Silver Town disaster banded together and tried to make shelter for the wounded. Complete strangers had never treated Red with such kindness. It was while he lay in a corrugated room on a stack of boxes that he vowed to save this place, and rebuild it to the best of his abilities.

Ash Ketchum would save Silver Town, and embody it wherever he went.

**A/N:**

**Bet you have a lot of questions. Why? What? Huh? Yes, well I can answer a few. Consider this a teaser. It's a story I've had on my mind for quite some time. If I get support I might write it, if not I will probably delete it in time. Why Ash is called Red even though nothing made him change his identity? The people of Red City see him as their role model. He is the spirit of Red City, so the citizens have decided to call him Red (Well, I obviously had ****_some _****input too). What's going on? Well give me feedback and depending on the type of feedback you might find out via more chapters. I won't answer any reviews or PMs regarding future chapters, I am allowing you to fantasize about what is going to happen. Many fics on here lack the anticipation that the imagination aspect brings. **


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